Byrd's Senate Rival Fails to Grasp the Finer Points of Campaign Advertising

We are so lucky in DC! Sure, we don't get to vote for senators or representatives or anything, but we get to enjoy all the campaign spots for not only adjoining states Maryland and Virginia, but almost-adjoining states like West Virginia as well! Frankly, I'm surprised we aren't deluged with pleas from Pennsylvania, Delaware and North Carolina, too.

Thus, John Raese, shown above, the Republican noob who wants to unseat loveable Dixiecrat throwback Robert Byrd, is all over my television. I couldn't help but notice his sign-off in his latest spot (see it here), though:

That's my message, and I approve of it.

Um, OK, Mr. Raese, I know you're new to this stuff and everything, but may I explain something to you? See, politicians often say "I'm [insert name here], and I approved this message" at the end of their ads to make it clear that it's an official spot from their own campaigners, as opposed to an advocacy ad created by an outside group... you know, like those delightful Swift Boat anti-Kerry ads that Bush denied having anything to do with, or those hilarious, racialicious Baltimore radio spots Michael Steele pretended to know nothing about.

By paraphrasing this campaign cliché and mixing up the words, Mr. Raese, you've managed to make the concept meaningless, and you've wasted valuable airtime. You approve of your own message? Um, I kinda guessed that already, since you narrarated the ad yourself.

I'm just saying.